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No sir , YOU do not get to decide your mere existence in the community is actual charity. Others can see that you don't actually do anything, and point this out .
And again, we are not talking legality, but reality .
No sir , YOU do not get to decide your mere existence in the community is actual charity. Others can see that you don't actually do anything, and point this out .
And again, we are not talking legality, but reality .
Others (you) may believe that, but many others would disagree. Good thing you don't get to decide the legality of such.
And running a food pantry or visiting the elderly would be a true work of charity . But a church giving to a national mission society for the purpose of evangelizing is not charity , it funding proselytizing . They are entitled to do that, but calling it charity is dubious . It's money spent to gather more church members , not do good works for the needy .
I'm not saying that NO money given by the religious goes to true charity . I am saying that the portion they do give that is used for true charity is very small, and most of what they give funds the church they attend and receive services from . And giving money to receive services in return is not true charity .
How would you know really since you don't even belong to a church? No, you just past judgement that the church is involved in worthless evangelizing. Well it's not worthless. We believe that people's spiritual needs are just as important as their physical. The physical is only temporary. The body is always going to die within a few short decades.
Besides, how do you know they are not supporting missionary work in organizations like Mercy Ships? The operating costs to send a massive hospital ship around the world is huge. If a church is supporting work that involves charity with evangelizing, that's still charity.
Vizio, do you believe all ministry is inherently charitable? I'm not try to bait you or anything like that; just trying to make sense of the disconnect between what some view as charity and others do not.
Vizio, do you believe all ministry is inherently charitable? I'm not try to bait you or anything like that; just trying to make sense of the disconnect between what some view as charity and others do not.
I believe all churches are, yes. Of course, there may be some exceptions to that -- such as if a church were to engage in a money-making venture, purchase a for-profit company, or if it were a shyster such as Joel Osteen or Creflo Dollar fleecing people. Those folks are easily spotted though, by their $3000 suit, their leer jets, and their million dollar homes.
I believe all churches are, yes. Of course, there may be some exceptions to that -- such as if a church were to engage in a money-making venture, purchase a for-profit company, or if it were a shyster such as Joel Osteen or Creflo Dollar fleecing people. Those folks are easily spotted though, by their $3000 suit, their leer jets, and their million dollar homes.
Threatening people with fire and brimstone for leaving the fold is much more honorable.
For those of you who think your church merely existing is charity, or that proselytizing is charity....
Definition of Charity from Merriam-Webster.
:the act of giving money, food, or other kinds of help to people who are poor, sick, etc.; also : something (such as money or food) that is given to people who are poor, sick, etc.
(Sure, you do some of this, but your 85 % operating costs don't count towards it.)
: an organization that helps people who are poor, sick.
(Again, sure, you do some of this, but merely existing does not count, and your 85% operating costs don't either.)
a : generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also : aid given to those in need b : an institution engaged in relief of the poor c : public provision for the relief of the needy
(See above)
: benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity
(I would say this is certainly not the case with fundamentalist churches. (but it probably is the case with the non fundy churches). You guys hate humanity and can't wait for it to cease to exist so you can gain your reward.
Point being, simply existing does not make you a charity. It also doesn't mean every donation that comes in to you should be seen as "charity". Proselytizing is not charity, and neither is charity given on the assumption of letting you proselytize. Proselytizing is self serving, and not charity.
Last edited by southernbored; 06-10-2016 at 11:18 AM..
Reason: weird text issues
I believe all churches are, yes. Of course, there may be some exceptions to that -- such as if a church were to engage in a money-making venture, purchase a for-profit company, or if it were a shyster such as Joel Osteen or Creflo Dollar fleecing people. Those folks are easily spotted though, by their $3000 suit, their leer jets, and their million dollar homes.
Gotcha. I guess it comes down to differing definitions, but I see ministry as primarily involving spiritual needs, while charity primarily involves physical needs. They do overlap in some instances, but in other ways there are distinct differences. For example, a children's Sunday school program is a ministry but not a charity, while a church-subsidized low-cost daycare program is a charity and a ministry. The resources to provide a church service is ministry, while the resources to operate a soup kitchen is charity and ministry. That's not to diminish the role of ministry but, semantics aside, there is a gray area between ministry and charity. KWIM?
(She may not be here legally and so has no resources--Trump supporters cover your eyes.)
Noooo! Let them see what true charity is. True charity does NOT ask for papers. True charity is given to ALL people in need...not just the "right" people in need.
If they don't like it....they can sputter and spit among themselves and the rest of us can ignore them. The truly charitable are NOT going to stop giving because certain people don't like who is being helped. (Good job Episcopalians. )
Noooo! Let them see what true charity is. True charity does NOT ask for papers. True charity is given to ALL people in need...not just the "right" people in need.
If they don't like it....they can sputter and spit among themselves and the rest of us can ignore them. The truly charitable are NOT going to stop giving because certain people don't like who is being helped. (Good job Episcopalians. )
OK? And do you think that disagrees with what I've said?
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